House ethics to probe Hunter, Collins, but not until after criminal cases completed

The House Ethics Committee announced on Thursday that it would create special panels to investigate indicted GOP Reps. Chris Collins of New York and Duncan Hunter of California, but it will not do so until after their criminal cases are resolved.

The announcement, though, demonstrates how sensitive the issue of congressional corruption is for party leaders just 60 days out from an election.

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Hunter and his wife were indicted by a federal grand jury on Aug. 21 for allegedly improperly spending hundreds of thousands of dollars in campaign funds on personal expenses, including family vacations and dental work. Collins was charged on Aug. 8 with fraud in connection to an alleged insider-trading scheme linked to his investments in an Australian biotech firm.

Both Hunter and Collins — the first two Republicans in Congress to endorse President Donald Trump — have denied the charges. Hunter is seeking reelection in November, while Collins is retiring at the end of this term.

Under its own rules, the Ethics Committee is required to set up a special investigative committee once a member is charged with a crime, or publicly announce why it has not done so.

In both the Hunter and Collins’ cases, the Ethics Committee has voted to set up the special panels, but it will also defer action on these matters at the request of the Justice Department.

Such deferments are standard policy by the Ethics Committee in ongoing criminal proceedings. Such was the case for Democratic Sen. Robert Menendez of New Jersey, who was acquitted on federal bribery charges but then sanctioned by the Senate Ethics Committee.

It is unusual, however, for the Ethics Committee to move ahead with special investigative panels so late in an election year and then publicly announce it is doing so. For instance, even if the charges against Collins were dropped immediately, it would be unheard of for the Ethics Committee to conduct a full investigation into his case by the time his term expires. And once he leaves Congress, the Ethics Committee has no jurisdiction over Collins.

Rep. Mimi Walters (R-Calif.) will serve as the chairwoman of the Collins’ investigative panel, with Rep. Ted Deutch of Florida as the top Democrat. Deutch is also the ranking Democrat on the full Ethics Committee. Joining them will be Reps. Randy Hultgren (R-Ill.) and Jared Polis (D-Colo.). Polis is currently running for governor of Colorado.

On the Hunter investigative panel, Reps. Leonard Lance (R-N.J.) and Anthony Brown (D-Md.) will serve as chairman and ranking member, respectively. Reps. John Katko (R-N.Y.) and Joaquin Castro (D-Texas) will fill out the remaining spots on the four-member panel.